This invention relates to a water craft and more particularly to a recreational water craft that may be used as a vehicle and also as a swimming facility.
One of the more common recreational water craft used as a vehicle for passenger transportation about small lakes, rivers and other inland waterways is a craft that basically comprises a float system which supports a flat deck structure that serves as a passenger area, the float system being propelled through the water by one or more attached outboard motors.
The float system is usually made up of a pair of elongated pontoons that are laterally spaced apart and physically connected in a parallel side-by-side arrangement. The arrangement provides the support for the flat deck structure which, as indicated above, serves as the passenger area of the recreational vehicle. Various different types of seating accommodations are provided for the passengers depending on the design of the craft and manufacturer's contemplated market for it. In many of the craft, the passengers are simply seated on collapsible chairs which rest upon and may be moved about the deck at the pleasure of the user. An appropriate side rail is usually provided around the passenger area, and the craft, as indicated before, is usually propelled through the water by means of one or more outboard motors that are mounted in the aft area of the craft and frequently controlled from an operating console provided in the passenger area. The water craft of the invention is, in some respects, similar to such types of recreation water crafts.
In the United States, many rivers have been dammed up to control flooding and provide hydroelectric power, the Federal government projects along the Tennessee Valley being examples of such flood control and power projects. The river waters are backed up by the dams in many instances in land areas where the contour of the land is so steep before flooding that, after flooding, there is a dangerous drop-off into deep water in the immediate proximity of the shoreline of the artificial body of water that is created by the project. As such, recreational bathing and swimming is limited along the shoreline because of the danger of drowning which is forever threatening the poor swimmer and which is especially threatening to children and adolescents who use the back-up waters for recreation bathing.
The need exists for a safe place for inexperienced swimmers to bath and swim in the recreational waters created by damming up rivers in mountanous areas as well as in any waters that are otherwise dangerous to inexperienced swimmers because of the water depth and/or uncertain bottom formations.